Introduction of Word 2010

 

Word 2010 is a word processor that allows you to create various types of documents such as letters, papers, flyers, faxes and more. In this lesson, you will be introduced to the Ribbon and the new Backstage view, and you'll learn how to create new documents and open existing ones.

Word 2010 is a bit different from earlier versions, so even if you've used Word before, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with the interface. The toolbars are similar to those in Word 2007, and they include the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar. Unlike Word 2007, commands such as Open and Print are housed in Backstage view, which replaces the Microsoft Office Button.

The Ribbon

 

The new, tabbed Ribbon system was introduced in Word 2007 to replace traditional menus. The Ribbon contains all of the commands you'll need in order to do common tasks. It contains multiple tabs, each with several groups of commands, and you can add your own tabs that contain your favorite commands. Some groups have an arrow in the bottom-right corner that you can click to see even more commands.

The Ribbon
 

Certain programs, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, may install additional tabs to the Ribbon. These tabs are called Add-ins.

To Minimize and Maximize the Ribbon:

 

The Ribbon is designed to be responsive to your current task and easy to use; however, you can choose to minimize it if it's taking up too much screen space.

1. Click the arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon to minimize it.
 
Minimizing the Ribbon
 
2. To maximize the Ribbon, click the arrow again.

When the Ribbon is minimized, you can make it reappear by clicking on a tab. However, the Ribbon will disappear again when you're not using it.

 

To Customize the Ribbon:

You can customize the Ribbon by creating your own tabs with whichever commands you want. Commands are always housed within a group, and you can create as many groups as you want in order to keep your tab organized. If you want, you can even add commands to any of the default tabs, as long as you create a custom group in the tab.

1. Right-click the Ribbon and select Customize the Ribbon. A dialog box will appear.
Right-clicking the Ribbon to customize it
 
2. Click New Tab. A new tab will be created with a new group inside it.
3. Make sure the new group is selected.
4. Select a command from the list on the left, then click Add. You can also drag commands directly into a group.
5. When you are done adding commands, click OK.

The dialog box where you can customize the Ribbon
 
If you don't see the command you want, click on the Choose commands from: drop-down box and select All Commands.
Displaying All Commands

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Creating and Opening Documents

To Create a New, Blank Document:

1. Click the File tab. This takes you to Backstage view.
2. Select New.
3. Select Blank document under Available Templates. It will be highlighted by default.
Creating a new document
 
4. Click Create. A new, blank document appears in the Word window.

To save time, you can create your document from a template, which you can select from the New Document pane. We'll talk about templates in a later lesson.

To Open an Existing Document:

 

1. Click the File tab. This takes you to Backstage view.
2. Select Open. The Open dialog box appears.
Opening a document
 
3. Select your document and then click Open.

If you've opened a file recently, you can also access it from the Recent Documents list. Just click on the File tab and select Recent.

Opening a recent document

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Changing The Font, Font Size & Font Color

To Change the Font Size:

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font Size box on the Home tab. A drop-down menu appears.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the various font sizes. A live preview of the font size will appear in the document.
      Changing the font size  
4. Select the font size you wish to use.

You can also use the Grow Font and Shrink Font commands to change the size.

       The Grow Font and Shrink Font commands

To Change the Font:

 

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Click the drop-down arrow next to the Font box on the Home tab. The Font drop-down menu appears.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the various fonts. A live preview of the font will appear in the document.
Changing the font  
4. Select the font you wish to use. The font will change in the document.

To Change the Font Color:

 

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Click the Font Color drop-down arrow on the Home tab. The Font Color menu appears.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the various font colors. A live preview of the color will appear in the document.
   Changing the font color  
4. Select the font color you wish to use. The font color will change in the document.

Your color choices aren't limited to the drop-down menu that appears. Select More Colors at the bottom of the list to access the Colors dialog box. Choose the color that you want and click OK.

To Highlight Text:

 

1. From the Home tab, click the Text Highlight Color drop-down arrow. The Highlight Color menu appears.
Choosing a highlight color  
2. Select the desired highlight color.
3. Select the text you wish to modify. It will then be highlighted.
Highlighting text
4. To switch back to the normal cursor, click the Text Highlight Color command.                              

 

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Applying Bold, Italic, and Underline Commands

To Use the Bold, Italic, and Underline Commands:

 

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Click the Bold (B), Italic (I), or Underline (U) command in the Font group on the Home tab.
 
Making text bold

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Saving Document Using The “Save Command”

To Use the Save Command:

1. Click the Save command on the Quick Access Toolbar.
 
Saving a document
 
2. The document will be saved in its current location with the same file name.

If you are saving for the first time and select Save, the Save As dialog box will appear.

AutoRecover

Word automatically saves your documents to a temporary folder while you're working on them. If you forget to save your changes, or if Word crashes, you can recover the autosaved file.

1. Open a document that was previously closed without saving.
2. In Backstage view, click Info.
3. If there are autosaved versions of your file, they will appear under Versions. Click on the file to open it.
Opening an autosaved file
 
4. To save changes, click Restore and then click OK.
  Restoring a file

By default, Word autosaves every 10 minutes. If you are editing a document for less than 10 minutes, Word may not create an autosaved version.

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Saving Word With Other File Formats

Other File Formats

 

You can share your documents with anyone using Word 2010 or 2007, since they use the same file format. However, earlier versions of Word use a different file format, so if you want to share your document with someone using an earlier version of Word, you'll need to save it as a Word 97-2003 Document.

To Save As Word 97 - 2003 Document:

 

1. Click the File tab.
2. Select Save As.
3. In the Save as type drop-down menu, select Word 97-2003 Document.
  Saving as a Word 97-2003 document
 
4. Select the location you wish to save the document.
5. Enter a name for the document and click Save.

To Save As a PDF:

 

1. Click the File tab.
2. Select Save As.
3. In the Save as type drop-down menu, select PDF.
    
   Saving as a PDF file
    
4. Select the location you wish to save the document.
5. Enter a name for the document.
6. Click the Save button.

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Changing The Text Case And The Text Alignment

To Change the Text Case:

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Click the Change Case command in the Font group on the Home tab.
3. Select the desired case option from the list.
 
Changing the text case

To Change Text Alignment:

 

1. Select the text you wish to modify.
2. Select one of the four alignment options from the Paragraph group on the Home tab.
• Align Text Left: Aligns all the selected text to the left margin.
• Center: Aligns text an equal distance from the left and right margins.
• Align Text Right: Aligns all the selected text to the right margin.
• Justify: Justified text is equal on both sides and lines up equally to the right and left margins. Many newspapers and magazines use full-justification.
 
The four alignment options

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Working with Text

To Insert Text:

 

1. Move your mouse to the location you wish text to appear in the document.
2. Click the mouse. The insertion point appears.
 
The insertion point
 
3. Type the text you wish to appear.

 

To Delete Text:

 

1. Place the insertion point next to the text you wish to delete.
2. Press the Backspace key on your keyboard to delete text to the left of the insertion point.
3. Press the Delete key on your keyboard to delete text to the right of the insertion point.

 

To Select Text:

 

1. Place the insertion point next to the text you wish to select.
2. Click the mouse, and while holding it down, drag your mouse over the text to select it.
3. Release the mouse button. You have selected the text. A highlighted box will appear over the selected text.
  Selecting text

When you select text or images in Word, a hover toolbar with formatting options appears. This makes formatting commands easily accessible, which may save you time. If the toolbar does not appear at first, try moving the mouse over the selection.

 
Hover toolbar with formatting options   

To Copy and Paste Text:

 

1. Select the text you wish to copy.
2. Click the Copy command on the Home tab. You can also right-click your document and select Copy.
The Copy command
3. Place your insertion point where you wish the text to appear.
4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab. The text will appear.

 

To Cut and Paste Text:

 

1. Select the text you wish to copy.
2. Click the Cut command on the Home tab. You can also right-click your document and select Cut.
The Cut command
3. Place your insertion point where you wish the text to appear.
4. Click the Paste command on the Home tab. The text will appear.

You can also cut, copy, and paste by right-clicking your document and choosing the desired action from the drop-down menu. When you use this method to paste, you can choose from three options that determine how the text will be formatted: Keep Source Formatting, Merge Formatting and Keep Text Only. You can hover the mouse over each icon to see what it will look like before you click on it.

 
Paste Options
 

To Drag and Drop Text:

 

1. Select the text you wish to copy.
2. Click and drag the text to the location you wish it to appear. The cursor will have a rectangle under it to indicate that you are moving text.
 
Dragging and dropping text
 
3. Release the mouse button and the text will appear.
If text does not appear in the exact location you wish, you can click the Enter key on your keyboard to move the text to a new line.

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Changing Page Orientation & Page Size

Introduction

You may find that the default page layout settings in Word are not sufficient for the document you wish to create, in which case you will want to modify those settings. For example, if you are printing on a different paper size, you'll want to change the document page size to match the paper. In addition, you may want to change the page formatting depending on the type of document you are creating.



In this lesson, you will learn how to change the page orientation, paper size, and page margins.

Page Layout and Formatting

 

To Change Page Orientation:

1. Select the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the Orientation command in the Page Setup group.
 
Changing the page orientation
 
3. Click either Portrait or Landscape to change the page orientation.

Landscape format means that the page is oriented horizontally, and portrait format is oriented vertically.

To Change the Page Size:

1. Select the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the Size command and a drop-down menu will appear. The current page size is highlighted.
 
Changing the page size
 
3. Click the size option you desire. The page size of the document changes.

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The Page Setup Dialog Box

Previously, we showed how to open the Page Setup dialog box from the Margins drop-down menu. As you become more familiar with Word, you may find that you want to use the Page Setup dialog box more often to fine-tune the page margins and adjust other settings. To get there more quickly, you may want to use a shortcut that's conveniently located on the Page Layout tab.

To Open the Page Setup Dialog Box:

1. Click the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group. The Page Setup dialog box will appear.
Opening the Page Setup dialog box

To Format Page Margins:

1. Select the Page Layout tab.
2. Click the Margins command. A menu of options appears. Normal is selected by default.
3. Click the predefined margin size you desire.
 
Changing the page margins

To Use Custom Margins:

1. From the Page Layout tab, click Margins.
2. Select Custom Margins. This will take you to the Page Setup dialog box.
3. Adjust the margin sizes for each side of the page and click OK.
 
The Page Setup dialog box

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Automatic Spelling and Grammar Checking

By default, Word automatically checks your document for spelling and grammar errors, so you may not even need to run a separate Spelling and Grammar check. These errors are indicated by colored, wavy lines.

• The red line indicates a misspelled word.
• The green line indicates a grammar error.
• The blue line indicates a contextual spelling error. This feature is turned off by default.
  Spelling and grammar errors

A contextual spelling error is when a wrong word is used, but the word is spelled correctly. For example, if I write "Deer Mr. Theodore," at the beginning of a letter, deer is a contextual spelling error because I should have used dear. Deer is spelled correctly, but it is used incorrectly in this letter.

To Use the Spelling Check Feature:

1. Right-click the underlined word. A menu will appear.
2. Click on the correct spelling of the word from the listed suggestions.
3. The corrected word will appear in the document.
 
Correcting a spelling error

You can choose to Ignore an underlined word, add it to the dictionary, or go to the Spelling dialog box for more options.

To Use the Grammar Check Feature:

 

1. Right-click the underlined word or phrase. A menu will appear.
2. Click on the correct phrase from the listed suggestions.
3. The corrected phrase will appear in the document.
 
Correcting a grammar error
 

You can also choose to Ignore an underlined phrase, go to the Grammar dialog box , or click About This Sentence for information about the grammar rule.

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Backstage View And The Quick Access Toolbar

Backstage View

Backstage view gives you various options for saving, opening a file, printing, or sharing your document. It is similar to the Office Button Menu from Word 2007 or the File Menu from earlier versions of Word. However, instead of just a menu, it is a full-page view which makes it easier to work with.

To Get to Backstage View:

1. Click the File tab.
Backstage view
2. You can choose an option on the left side of the page.
3. To get back to your document, just click any tab on the Ribbon.

Use the interactive below to learn about the different things you can do in Backstage view.

Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is located above the ribbon, and it lets you access common commands no matter which tab you're on. By default, it shows the Save, Undo, and Repeat commands. You can add other commands to make it more convenient for you.

To Add Commands to the Quick Access Toolbar:

 

1. Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. Select the command you wish to add from the drop-down menu. It will appear in the Quick Access toolbar.
 
Adding a command to the Quick Access Toolbar
 

The Ruler

 

The Ruler is located at the top and to the left of your document. It makes it easier to adjust your document with precision. If you want, you can hide the Ruler to free up more screen space.

 
The Ruler
 

To Hide or View the Ruler:

 

1. Click the View Ruler icon over the scrollbar to hide the ruler.
2. To show the ruler, click the View Ruler icon again.
 
Hiding and viewing the Ruler

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Checking Spelling and Grammar

To Run a Spelling & Grammar Check:

 

1. Go to the Review tab.
2. Click on the Spelling & Grammar command.
 
The Spelling & Grammar command
 
3. The Spelling and Grammar dialog box will open. For each error in your document, Word will try to offer one or more suggestions. You can select a suggestion and then click Change to correct the error.
 
Correcting a spelling error
 
4. If no suggestions are given, you can manually type in the correct spelling.
 
Typing a correction

Ignoring "Errors"

 

The spelling and grammar check is not always correct. Particularly with grammar, there are many errors that Word will not notice. There are also times where the spelling and grammar check will say that something's an error when it's actually not. This often happens with people's names, which may not be in the dictionary.

If Word says that something is an error, you can choose not to change it. Depending on whether it's a spelling or grammar error, you can choose from several options:

For spelling "errors":

 

• Ignore Once: This will skip the word without changing it.
• Ignore All: This will skip the word without changing it, and it will also skip all other instances of this word in the document.
• Add to Dictionary: This adds the word to the dictionary so that it will never come up as an error. Make sure that the word is spelled correctly before choosing this option.

For grammar "errors":

 

• Ignore Once: This will skip the "error" without changing it.
• Ignore Rule: This will skip this "error" as well as all other instances that relate to this grammar rule.
• Next Sentence: This skips the sentence without changing it, and leaves it marked as an error. That means it will still show up if you do another Spelling and Grammar check later on.

If you're not sure about a grammar error, you can click Explain to see why Word thinks it's an error. This can help you determine whether you want to change it or not.

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Highlighting Text in Microsoft Word

It's a lot easier to show you what highlighting is, rather than explaining it. So examine the image below, which is what your letter should look like so far:

The two lines with the blue background have been highlighted. When you highlight some text you can do things with it. You can change the size of the font, underline it, make it bold, delete it altogether, and many other things. But only the text that you have highlighted will change. The rest of your document will remain unchanged. So if we were to change the size of the font in the document above, only the two lines that have been highlighted will change size. Highlighting is very important in word processing.

So how do you highlight some text?

There are quite a few different ways to highlight text. We'll go through a few now. Practice them as you go along.

How to highlight an entire document

You can highlight your entire document from the Home tab at the top of Word. On the right hand side, you should see an Editing section:

Click on the Select item to see a menu appear:

In Word 2010 you'll see an extra item on the menu, right at the bottom:

Click Select All from the menu to highlight an entire document. To get rid of highlighted text, click anywhere in your document with your left mouse button.

An easier way to highlight all the text in your document is via a keyboard shortcut. Hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard. Keep it held down and press the letter A. This is will select all text. (This shortcut works in other software, not just Microsoft Word.)

How to highlight an entire line

Most of the time, though, you won't want to highlight the entire document, but just sections of it. You can highlight an entire line with just one mouse click.

To highlight a single line, move your mouse over to the left margin of your document. As in the image below:

If you can't see a ruler at the top of the page and the left of the page, click the tiny icon in the top right of Microsoft Word:

Another way to display rulers is from the View tab in the Ribbon at the top of Word. Locate the Show/Hide panel, and the click the Ruler item.

When you move your mouse pointer to the margins, it will turn into an arrow. When it does, click your left hand mouse button once, then let go. A single line will be highlighted.

You can use the same technique to highlight more than one line at a time. Instead of letting go of the left mouse button, keep it held down. Then move your mouse upwards or downwards in a straight line.

Let go of the mouse button when you are satisfied.

Highlighting blocks of text

This one is a little trickier, but not too tricky. To highlight a block of text, do the following:

• Click at the start of the block of text you want to highlight. (For practice purposes, click just before the letter "I" of "It has come …" on the first line.)
• Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard (The Shift keys are the ones with the block arrows on them, pointing upwards. You hold down a shift key if you want a capital letter.)
• With the Shift key held down, click your left mouse button at the end of the block of text you want to highlight. (Click after the question mark of " … premature?")
• A block of text will be highlighted

Highlight by dragging

This is another tricky one, when you're starting out. A bit of practice, though, and you'll soon master it. To highlight some text by dragging, do the following:

• Click with your left mouse button at the start of the text you want to highlight
• Keep your left mouse button held down
• Drag your mouse pointer across the screen (Your mouse pointer will change shape. It will be the shape of a capital letter I.)
• You can drag in any direction you like
• When you've reached the end of the text you want to highlight, let go of the mouse button
• Your text is highlighted

Highlighting a single word

Highlighting a single word is easy. All you have to do is to double click on the word with your left mouse button. That's it!

Highlighting with the keyboard (no mouse needed)

For more precise highlighting, nothing beats the keyboard.

Line Highlighting

• To highlight a single line, move your cursor to the start of the line you want to highlight. (You can move the cursor about with the arrow keys on your keyboard. Play about with them and see what happens.)
• Hold down a Shift key on your keyboard
• With the Shift key held down, press the End key on your keyboard
• A single line is highlighted
• To go the other way, from the end of a line to the beginning, move your cursor to the end of the line (or somewhere in the middle will do for. It works just as well.)
• Hold down a Shift key on your keyboard
• With the Shift key held down, press the Home key on your keyboard
• Your text is highlighted

Paragraph Highlighting

To highlight a paragraph with the keyboard alone, do the following

• Move your cursor to the start or end of the paragraph you want to highlight
• Hold down a Shift key AND a Ctrl key (bottom left of your keyboard)
• With the Shift key AND a Ctrl key held down, press the Up or DOWN arrows
• A paragraph will be highlighted

Highlighting one word at a time

• For practice purposes, move your cursor to the middle of a line of text
• Hold down a Shift key AND a Ctrl key
• With the Shift key AND a Ctrl key held down, press the Left arrow or the Right arrow key on your keyboard

Highlighting one letter at a time

• For practice purposes, move your cursor to the middle of a line of text
• Hold down a Shift key
• With the Shift key, press the Left arrow or the Right arrow on your keyboard
• A single letter is highlighted for every tap of an arrow key

And that ends the highlighting section. Practice the techniques outlined above using your library letter. It takes quite a while to master them all, so just pick a couple of highlighting techniques. The ones you find the easiest to do.

We'll now see how to open a file that you have previously saved.

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